Message from the Secretary of Labor

The American workforce has gone through many changes in the
last century, none more striking than the way we work. At the beginning of the
previous century, wages were low, and the Nation did not even measure
unemployment. Today, BLS measures almost every aspect of the American labor
force. The 20th century was, as Ben Wattenberg put it, "The First Measured
Century."

This volume looks at the information we now know through
these new measurements, examining three of the major 20th century changes in the
compilation of labor statistics. The first chapter focuses on important changes
to the composition of the American population and workforce, as enormous waves
of immigration during the last century both augmented the labor force and
challenged mechanisms of the labor market. Chapter 2 examines the evolution of
compensation practices over the course of the 20th century, as workers’
compensation packages evolved from a simple pay envelope at the end of the week
to a complex set of cash payments and benefits. The final chapter of this report
describes some of the efforts to measure structural changes that affected the
economy, as industries and occupations changed throughout the century.

Thanks in part to these new measuring tools, the 20th century
has been one of the most productive and dynamic centuries ever. But the 21st
century promises to be even more exciting and enterprising for the American
workforce. With all of the changes to come, America’s 21st century workforce
needs to do more than simply adjust to the new economy. To succeed in the 21st
century, our Nation must be prepared to embrace the changes in our
economy—in how we work, where we work, and how we balance our professional and
family lives.

I believe that the Department of Labor should lead the way in
anticipating and reacting to changes, thus helping all workers to have as
fulfilling and financially rewarding careers as they aspire to have. To this
end, we have created a new Office of the 21st Century Workforce. The office’s
mission is to provide all American workers with the opportunity to equip
themselves with the tools necessary to succeed in their careers and in whatever
field they choose in this new and dynamic global economy.

That does not mean we should change everything. We still need
to protect workers’ safety and health, retirement security, and equal access
to jobs and promotions. But we also need to be open to new and better ways to
achieve those goals, taking into account how Americans actually work today.

I want us to focus as a Department on three issues that will
determine our Nation’s economic strength in this century, and shape the
quality of life for America’s working families:

The skills gap. Our economy is making an unprecedented
transition into high-skilled, information-based industries. This has created a
disconnect between the jobs that are being created and the current skills of
many workers.

Our demographic destiny. In just a few decades, we will have a growing
class of retirees and a shrinking workforce. In addition, there will be an
increasingly diverse group of Americans entering the workforce, bringing with
them the need for truly new ways of organizing and managing work.

The future of the American workplace. Anyone can tell you
that this is not our parents’ economy. The average 34-year-old has already
worked for nine different companies in his or her brief career. Around 10
million people work away from their corporate office at least 3 days a month. As
people sort out the new priorities of financial needs and family life, they all
face the same new concerns: A career move that leaves behind health care
coverage; abandoning pension benefits before they are vested; renegotiating with
each new employer the balance between work and home.

In this new century, BLS will continue to provide us the tools needed to face
these challenges. With enlightened leadership, the private, public, and
nonprofit sectors, working together, can develop innovative solutions to
ever-more-complex labor market problems. Leadership will make us a nation open
to the talents of all our people—including those who have been left out of the
workforce until now. Ultimately, informed leadership will make our training
programs effective "venture capital" for the 21st century workforce.